Cross Country Skiing 
     
    
   
   
    
     There appears to be an active winter in store for cross-country 
     
     ski enthusiasts. For the first time the Brookvale Ski Resort is 
     
     equipped for cross country skiing and tobogganing. The wooded area 
     
     has 10 miles of marked trails with means for longer tours when re— 
     
     quired. The three main trails are 1.5 kilometers, 2.5 kilometers and 
     
     6.5 kilometers in length. The Rental Shop is well supplied with 
     
    
   
   
    
     equipment which can be obtained on a daily basis at very reasonable 
     
     rates. 
     
    
   
   
    
     The P.E.I. Outdoor Recreation Association will be sponsoring 
     
     ski clinics and other outings again this year. If you would like more 
     
     information on this or want to receive their newsletter, contact 
     
     Andre Lavoie at 892—3561. 
     
    
   
   
    
     For those who have never tried cross country skiing, there are 
     
     excellent opportunities available to learn more about this extremely 
     
     enjoyable activity. 
     
    
   
   
    
     — Diane Griffin 
     
    
   
   
    
       
     
    
   
   
    
     Christmas Bird Count Anecdote --"A Kingfisher Tale" 
     
    
   
   
    
     About 10 a.m. December 21, the day of the Hillsborough count, 
     
     we stopped in Mt. Herbert where the road crosses Fullerton's Creek 
     
     (at junction with Route 215). Looking downstream we saw a Belted 
     
     Kingfisher just lighting on a dead tree. About two hours later we 
     
     had to pass the same way again. We stopped and had a look. The 
     
     Kingfisher was still there, rattling quietly to himself. 
     
    
   
   
    
     On Sunday, December 29, in Mt. Herbert again, we stopped to 
     
     look. No, there was no Kingfisher in that tree. I got out of the 
     
     car and then I could hear his subdued rattle upstream on the other 
     
     side of the road. 
     
    
   
   
    
     A tough way to;make a living in cold weather--perched in a tree, 
     
     waiting for a little fish to swim by and then diving headfirst into 
     
     the frigid water. 
     
    
   
   
    
     — Margaret Mallett 
     
     Charlottetown 
     
    
   
   
    
       
     
    
   
   
    
     Bird Check-List 
     
    
   
   
    
     Copies of the P-E.I. Bird Check—List are available free-of—charge 
     
     from the Department of the Environment and Tourism, P.O. Box 2000, 
     
     Charlottetown.